For anyone interested in getting the eBook Echoes from the Past, it will still be $2.99 on its release day, 8/5/15. Then, August 6th it goes to $3.99. (This book has some strong language and mild profanity. It has spice with a heat level of ♥♥♥♥.)
The fifth Arizona historical, set in 1901, is the first romance for the Taggert brothers. The story is about prehistoric cultures, archaeology, questions of reincarnation, and brings back some characters from the previous four Arizona historicals-- most especially Sam and Abby Ryker (from Arizona Sunset).
In this snippet, the hero and heroine, Holly and Vince are coming to an understanding-- of sorts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outside,
the air was fresh and clear, the stars highly visible overhead.
“What
did you want to say that others couldn’t hear?” she asked when he stopped her
at the corrals and turned to face her.
“They
could have. I thought you might prefer they not.”
“Why?”
“For
this.” He reached out and pulled her to him. She never even thought of
resisting as he put his arms around her and bent to claim her lips. The kiss
was like none she’d known as she felt herself melt into his body in a way that
went beyond the physical. Warmth surged through her. She wanted the kiss to
last forever. What was this?
“You
weren’t supposed to do that,” she said with a smile, when he finally released
her and stepped back.
“On
that we agree.” His smile was self-mocking. The half moon was rising. The light
of it gave his face an eerie glow, almost otherworldly.
“We
agreed before that you would not go with me to the Cibecue.”
“It
hadn’t gotten to that point. Connie wanted me to do it, but you and I had never
gotten specific regarding it.”
“It
would be a bad idea.”
He
smiled again. “Probably but I’m going to do it.”
“You
know you shouldn’t, Vince.” It was the first time she had used his name. It
rolled off her lips as though she had used it hundreds of times.
“I
know that too, but I am going. There is one condition.”
“You
are so dictatorial.”
He
laughed. “Sometimes. This though is where you will agree, or I will do
everything I can to stop your going at all. And I have more influence in that
than you might imagine.”
“I
am listening.”
“You
are boss of the digging. I am boss of security.”
“What
does that mean?”
“It
means where we camp, traveling to and from it, the guns, the things you want to
do that I say are not safe. You listen to me.”
“Of
course, I’d listen.” She didn’t like even saying that.
“More
than listen. Obey.”
Never
in her life had she imagined hearing a man say that word and her not becoming
infuriated. Instead, she felt heated in a different way. “I don’t believe you’d
shut down this whole venture for that.”
“Believe
it. This is going to be more dangerous than you can imagine right now. If you
can’t listen to commonsense, it would be even worse.”
“I
do understand its danger.” She wasn’t willing to tell him about the dreams.
“Then
you understand it’s not a world you know anything about. I have been there, can
help you, but I won’t do it if you are going to risk your life or others out of
stubbornness.”
“You
make me so mad.” She felt like yelling at him.
“I
know.”
“All
right, but tell me this-- why did you kiss me?”
“It
was what I wanted to do all night.”
“And
you always do what you want?”
He
shook his head. “No, not always. A kiss though isn’t much to give a man, who
you might be asking to die for you.”
